Structure and metamorphism of the Franciscan Complex, Mt. Hamilton area, Northern California
Truncation of metamorphic isograds and fold axes within coherent terranes of Franciscan metagraywacke by intervening zones of melange indicate that the melange is tectonic and formed after the subduction-related metamorphism and folding. These relations are expressed in two terranes of blueschist-facies rocks of the Franciscan Complex in the Mt. Hamilton area, northern California-the Jurassic Yolla Bolly terrane and the structurally underlying Cretaceous Burnt Hills terrane. Local preservation in both terranes of basal radiolarian chert and oceanic basalt beneath continent-derived metagraywacke and argillite demonstrates thrust repetition within the coherent terranes, although these relations are scarce near Mt. Hamilton. The metagraywackes range from albite-pumpellyite blueschists to those containing well-crystallized jadeitic pyroxene, and a jadeite-in isograd can be defined in parts of the area. Primary bedding defines locally coherent structural orientations and folds within the metagraywacke units. These units are crosscut by thin zones of tectonic melange containing blocks of high-grade blueschist, serpentinite, and other exotic rocks, and a broader, but otherwise identical melange zone marks the discordant boundary between the two terranes.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 1999 |
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Title | Structure and metamorphism of the Franciscan Complex, Mt. Hamilton area, Northern California |
DOI | 10.1080/00206819909465150 |
Authors | M. C. Blake, C. M. Wentworth |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | International Geology Review |
Index ID | 70021620 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center |